


A Long Week In L.A.

by 12tigersharkevin, Teal_Quil



Category: Septiplier - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: (more tags to be added), Angst, Blood, Explicit Language, Fluff, Humor, I think I'm funny, Jack kind of jerk in the begining, M/M, Panic Attacks, Panicking Mark, Septiplier AWAY!, Spooky, Vampire!Jack, Vampires, YouTube, minor head injury, or at least coming down from an attack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2018-11-12 03:06:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11152929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/12tigersharkevin/pseuds/12tigersharkevin, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teal_Quil/pseuds/Teal_Quil
Summary: Jack decided to visit some of his friends in America for awhile.Unfortunately, a lack of preparation for the trip leads Jack into a little bit of trouble...This could be a long week.





	1. Midnight Stroll

**Author's Note:**

> If you've been reading Teal's Briste, then here's your break from all the sadness with a first meet (sort of)!

Three days.  
It had been more than three days since Jack last had blood. It was possibly the longest he had been without feeding in a long time. Going for a few days without blood wasn’t unusual for the vampire. Especially when he was younger, he had tended to… well… starve himself.. But this time he wasn’t doing it on purpose!! The Irishman just happened to be in the unfamiliar states of America without a blood bag or any knowledge of a good hunting spot.

The Irishman regretted immensely not preparing for this week long trip better. 

Go to L.A for a week, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.  
To be fair, it has been a lot of fun.

Jack had been good at first. He went out for a long hunt the night before his trip. The successful hunt had tied him over through the first day, making his plane ride a lot easier. The second day went even better. He spent the whole day with friends and got to go to the cinema. On the third day, Jack managed to ignore his hunger all day while hanging out with even more friends; however, when night came, he was alone in his hotel with few distractions other than Tumblr or Twitter.

Currently, the vampire was sprawled out on his stomach, aggressively scrolling through Tumblr on his phone. A low growl arose from him as his own frustration spiked. He wasn’t even processing what he was looking at any more. His gaze was only fixated on the screen in a desperate attempt to keep his attention on something other than his aches. After all, ignoring his thirst was doing nothing to prevent Jack’s body from hating him. 

His fangs were starting to betray him by peeking out, and he could feel them whenever his tongue would brush up against his lip. The familiar burn of thirst at the back of his throat was spreading like a flame and water was no longer easing it. Even without looking in the mirror, Jack could guess that his eyes had already shifted from blue to a bright, glowing, red. All obvious signs of a vampire’s hunger. Another frustrated growl escaped the Irishman.

Reluctantly, the Irishman gave up on his phone, turning it off. The clock on the night stand read 11:52. Rolling onto his back and getting out of the bed, he shoved the phone into his pocket before bundling himself up in a hoodie. Jack had already learned that nights in L.A weren’t nearly as cold as they were in Ireland, but that’s not what the hoodie was for. Instead, it worked as a cover to hide his fangs and eyes in case of any strangers out on the streets this late. Most people do not react kindly to sights like a hungry vampire.  
Moving quickly, Jack left his hotel to search for food. His hope was to make it to a nearby woods. There, he would hopefully be in the clear for hunting. At this point, the vampire would be happy with catching anything, even a squirrel. But to Jack’s dismay, the shops and building seemed to go on and on no matter how far the Irishman ran. 

After what felt like hours of searching, the vampire was about to give up when he suddenly picked up a sweet, almost familiar scent. He unconsciously licked his lips as he stomach gave a painful ache, Delirious in his hunger, Jack turned back around and let the scent guide him deeper into town, following it to the source. Somewhere in Jack’s mind, he knew fully well that he was letting his hunger control him, but in that moment, he didn’t care. He reasoned with himself that he only wanted to find out what the smell was. Perhaps a bakery, Jack thought absently, but he already knew that wasn’t going to be the case. It was definitely blood he was on the trail. That would be the only reason why it smelled so tasty. Captivated by the scent, Jack headed down darker and darker streets for the promise of finally being able to feed. 

He wasn’t sure how long he spent following the scent, ten, maybe twenty minutes. His legs were starting to get sore, Even so, the vampire was determined to find the scent, determined to claim his next meal. 

After turning the corner into another alley, Jack noticed a figure in the distance. Finally, he had found it. The scent was coming from a person, and whatever reasonable part of Jack that still remain in his head was screaming at him to turn around. Feeding from a stranger could only lead to bad things. Jack should just keep moving or go home before he does something he’ll ultimately regret. However, his stomach had other ideas as it gave another painful ache and growl. The Irishman’s feet were suddenly locked to the ground as he stared at the stranger. The stranger hadn’t noticed him yet, too distracted by something else. The vampire could just faintly make out what looked like a light from a phone. The sweet smell was practically everywhere. Even if Jack didn’t need to breath, the sweetness was still assaulting his senses with every passing moment he remained still. How can Jack be expected to think rationally with everything around him reading ‘bite this person’? It was as obvious as a neon sign, Jack’s deliriously hungry mind reasoned.

Jack needed to feed. Everything else could be dealt with later. All rationalization was thrown out the window as Jack quietly stalked forward. He had to be silent and fast. If he could do that, then he could claim his meal and prevent the human from getting away long enough to clear their mind of the incident. The human wouldn’t remember what happened by the end of it, allowing the vampire to avoid all consequences. Footsteps were soft and careful. His whole body was telling him how much he longed for this, how much he craved for blood. The stranger would be able to calm his thirst.

Suddenly, the figure slightly turned, looking over his shoulder. If Jack hadn’t been staring down the stranger the entire time, he wouldn’t have noticed in time. Quickly pressing himself against the wall to hide in the shadows, Jack watched as the figure looked around. From this close, the Irishman was sure that the stranger was male. He even appeared to be the same height as Jack, which made things a lot easier for the vampire. However, a hoodie kept the stranger's face covered and was going to be an obstacle when going for his neck. Jack couldn’t even make out his expression with the shadow on the man’s face, but the glow of a phone illuminated black and red lock of hair.  
A familiar hair style. Jack felt a sudden wave of unease, until the burning sensation in his throat became worse. He couldn’t concentrate on why the hairstyle was familiar. The vampire had more important things to attend to.

Waiting patiently until the stranger turned back to his phone, Jack took a deep breath, letting out a sigh, before he began to close the space between himself and the figure. Hand reaching to grab the hoodie. There was a moment of hesitation. Did he know this man? His hair, his movement, even what little of his form Jack could make out in the darkness, the man in front of him looked so familiar. Had they crossed paths at some point? Maybe… But he couldn’t think about it long enough, his stomach growling again. The vampire knew he had to act or he would be caught. Ripping off the hoodie on the other male and closing the distance to be right in his face when the stranger turned around, the two males’ eyes locked and Jack stepped back. 

This man, the stranger...The stranger was Mark!

Face revealed by the light of his phone, the person before him was definitely Mark. His eyes sparked with the fear as he stared into piercing red. Swallowing nervously, the American inched slightly away from the vampire. 

The scent he had followed, was Mark. Mark-- What the hell was Mark doing out here? The screaming in Jack’s head was back as it berated him for not only almost attacking someone, but attacking his friend. Why hadn’t he realised who he was following?? With another step away from Mark and his mind racing, Jack was about to make a run for it. Yet, his thoughts were cut short as his stomach reminded him why he was out here. Apparently Mark could hear the sound too because a startled squeak came from the male. 

"Mark? W-What's wrong?" Jack broke the silence between the two, looking at other male with one eyebrow raised, Was Mark scared? Was Mark afraid of him? Of course, the american was afraid of him. He didn’t exactly appear friendly right now. Still, the vampire couldn’t help finding the reaction both hilarious and somewhat adorable. Jack would never hurt his friend, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t have a little fun messing with the American who often teased him. With a devilish smirk and his head tilted to the side slightly, Jack’s eyes watched Mark’s moves carefully.

"O-Oh..! N-nothing's wrong exactly... " The poor man was stumbling over his words. His gaze unable to see past Jack's red irises. Mark swallowed again before coughing, choking on his spit because he was too busy freaking out to function. Though, Jack waited patiently for the other male to calm down. Once settling his coughing fit, the man gave a weak smile to his friend.  
"You're just..." His voice was more steady this time, but his words trailed off. He took another step back ."Staring..? That's all..!"

A soft amused chuckle escape the hungry vampire.  
"Ha-ha..." Mark mimicked his chuckle with weak enthusiasm.

Jack could hear the man’s heart racing. His heartbeat was so loud to sensitive vampire ears. The sound made him draw closer to his friend. When Jack moved forward, Mark nearly tripped over himself as he put more space between them. Taking a deep breathe in, the bloodthirsty vampire let it out with a satisfied hum. Losing focus again from his hunger, Jack’s thoughts became his words as he spoke aloud. "Can't you smell it? It's smells delicious."

Mark physically shuddered at the word ‘delicious’. His expression changing from fearful to panic. Eyes shifted around in frantic thought, then Mark blurted out.  
"Yea... yeah! Pizza! You mean the pizza place, right!?" He nudged back towards the street, attempting to change Jack’s attention.  
"We can go get some if you want!! I know how much you like pizza..!" He smiled, despite his tone and body language broadcasting his obvious fear. Jack knew he was trying to distract him, but it ultimately wouldn’t work. Though, the attempt was somewhat admirable.

Mark was so scared of him. In a less unstable state of mind, Jack would have felt bad. Instead, there was an epic power high he was getting from frightening the other male. The whole situation was just like being a monster at a haunted house. The Irishman had no intention of hurting Mark. Mark was completely safe, even if he didn't know that. Jack just was playing up the act of being the big scary vampire that Mark clearly saw him as. It was fun!

"I wasn't talking about the pizza…” The Irishman shook his head as his mouth pulled into a wide grin. “I was talking about your scent, my dear Markimoo." The pet name was almost purred out of Jack’s lips, causing the human to shudder again.

Mark was currently trying to make himself smaller as he cowered away from Jack. A breathless curse escaped him, but one more time he managed to force out a chuckle.  
"Ha-ha..! Don't be silly, Jack! We both know that I'm just a smelly pile of poo. There's no way that ol' Markimoo could smell delicious... Ha-"

Jack really wanted to laugh. The fact that the American was managing to be funny while clearly about to lose his shit was more than just amusing. However, the scary vampire was only going to show his enjoyment through a wicked smirk  
"On the contrary. Just being around your scent is making me hungry.” He purred once more and took another breath in of sweetness. “Oh Mark…” Jack sighed in satisfaction. “You know exactly what I want, don't you? that's why you're scared."

 

"W-Well.. You aren't re-really fooling anyone with th-those red eyes of yours..." Mark said, voice trembling a bit. He took a slow breath before continue, trying to steady himself. "W-Which by the way, I miss the blue. It was much better color on you..."

Jack laughed mockingly as he closed the space Mark had created between them. He had to give the american props for being able to tease him too even when utterly terrified. However, Jack still had the upper hand.  
"Your attempts to distract and sway me have not worked, Mark. Why don't you just tell me exactly what you've been thinking?"

"Can't blame a man for trying...~" The american gave one last weak smile before letting it drop completely. "You don't has to do this..." There was a soft whimper as Mark back away, only to be cornered against a dumpster. Mark's body went rigid when Jack was inches away from his face.

Jack laughed softly, letting his voice fall low and commanding, He tilted his head in closer to Mark. His breath warm against Mark's neck "I don't have to… I NEED to..."  
Fang elongated, Jack was just about to grab Mark by the arms to hold him still when he was suddenly shoved away.

"No no nonononono!!!" The panicking human shouted and pushed forward, effectively, knocking Jack to floor with an ungraceful thud. Honestly, Jack really should have seen that reaction coming. In a matter of seconds, Mark was taking off down the alley to the street, dropping his phone in his haste

The vampire groaned, rolling onto his knees. His backing taking most of the damage of his fall. “Great… Now I’m sore and fookin’ hungry…” Jack grumbled to himself, snatching the discarded phone and getting to his feet quickly. Mark got a head start. That wasn’t good for Jack. 

Speeding off after the human, the vampire called out.  
“Ye think that'll stop me?"

Jack wasn’t even sure why he was keeping up the act at this point. Perhaps, it was the hunger that was making him even more irritable and a douche, or maybe he was mad over being shoved to the ground. That was really rude of Mark. Either way, the american was unfortunately in direct fire of the vampire’s unreasonable rage

Once catching up to the other male, Jack caught hold of his hood and pulled him back. The american made a harsh wheezing sound as his air was suddenly cut off. Then grabbing on to his arm, the vampire threw Mark to the ground. The human’s back, arms, and head made sharp contact with uneven pavement. It was rougher than it need to be. Jack didn’t even have to throw Mark to stop him from running. Was this part of the act? Mark made a pain hissed as he tried to sit himself up. For some reason, the sound irritated the Irishman even more.  
"Did I say you could run away? We were having a pleasant conversation and you just ran! Is that how you treat your friends now Markimoo?" Jack glared down at him, waiting for the man to reply.

"N-" Mark wasn't able to finish. The forced of being pulled back and thrown to the ground knocked all the wind out of his body. Dizzy, terrified, and also in pain, the man groaned softly, having hard time sitting up. He could hear Jack talking to him but couldn't process what he was saying. Instead of reply, Mark worked on sitting up, dragging himself a little further away from Jack while still on the ground. Once the american was properly up, He rubbed at the back of his head, hoping to ease the ache that was forming. Looking up at the other, the man could clearly see Jack's glare. "S-Sorry..?" He just barely whispered. Mark tried to smile but it was a lot harder to focus past the pain from the back of his head.

A growl rumbled from the vampire, and he moved forward. Swift hands grabbed hold on the front of Mark’s jacket, picking the american up onto his feet."Sorry? That's it...Sorry?!" Jack snapped. The american yelped in terror. 

"Ah! W-What the hell do you want me to say?!? Sorry, I don't want to be eaten??" Mark shouted, struggling against Jack's grasp. Though, his thrashing wasn't going to do the man much good at this point. If anything, the movement was only causing the human more pain. This prove true as Mark let out a low groan. His movements slowing down as he tried to reach for his head again.

Jack's look softened once seeing how dizzy Mark was, realizing that maybe he was taking this a little too far. Letting go of the american’s shirt, he guided Mark up against the wall.

"Eat you? Who said anything about eating you? That would be cannibalism Mark!" The vampire backtracked with a confused and somewhat insulted tone. "There's a difference between drinking blood and eating someone."

"Wha...?" Mark wobbled a little when he was released, actually holding on to Jack's arm for support. Brown eyes searched over the other male in frantic confusion. The look of surprise and remaining dread was definitely clear on his face as he voiced his thoughts without realizing.  
"But won't both still result in death..?"

Jack shook his head. His expression falling into one of hurt. "M-mark...Y-you believe I'd kill ya..."

The vampire was aware that he might not have the friendliest of appearance at the current time. The red eyes and fangs would be off putting for anyone, especially outside late at night. Also considering the Irishman’s actions, it was understandable to be scared. But Mark, the man who'd been one of his closest friends for years, genuinely believed that Jack would even think about killing him (At least while outside of a game). Jack feeling hurt might have been an understatement.

"I-I-I-I don't know..!! You were freaking me out. I-I didn't know what you were going to do..."  
Mark answered quickly, stuttering over his words. He pressed more against the wall as his legs shaked with instability. 

“Why would you even think that? We’re friends!” The Irishman questioned accusatory. Mark flinched when the vampire raised his voice, without giving an answer. The lack of a response only resulted in pissing the vampire off.

“Seriously, is that what you think I do away from youtube?? You think I go out at night and just straight up murder people! The fuck, Mark?!? I mean- kill you? Just because I’m a vampire doesn't automatically mean I will or even want to kill everyone! I was just teasing on biting you. Why on earth d’ya think I’d-” Jack’s rant was cut off mid-sentence as the irony of his words finally hit him. Not even five minutes, he had been enjoying scaring the american witless. Mark probably didn't even know vampire were real. Most vampires in media were deadly and ruthless. Unless it was kid’s film or Twilight. Those ideas were probably the only thing the american knew about vampires. It was no wonder the human was cowering more against the wall since the moment Jack started shouting. 

“O-Oh…. Er…” Thinking back on his action and everything he said, Mark assumed the worse out of the Irishman made a lot more sense. He wanted to be scary and he was.  
“I-I’m… I’m sorry, Mark.” Eyes closed, Jack gave the man some more space and twisted his head away. Finally coming to his senses, his guilt weighed heavy on him.  
“I got carried away…” The vampire admitted while trying to retract his fangs. “I-It’s hard sometimes… I wasn’t trying to hurt you, I swear! Just teasing you a little. But… Fuck. This was really stupid of me...”

With the vampire turned away and red eyes no longer on him, Mark could regain some of his courage. Jack could hear him shuffling his feet from behind him. He was almost sure that Mark was going to take off again, and Jack wasn’t sure if he would have the will to chase him.

After a moment, the american spoke up. “H-Here… I’ll cut you a deal.”

“A deal? Ha- Mark, that’s not necessary. I’m the one who fucked up…” 

“No, no. Here me out. If you help me get home… I-I won’t be mad.”  
The deal came as a surprise and Jack spun on his heel to face his friend again. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting the other male to say, but it certainly wasn’t that. Red eyes back on him, the american winced reflexively. His legs were wobbling, threatening to give out, and he was using the wall as a support to stand. There was another weak smile on his face; although, it lacked the fear the last one had.  
The lack of fear was sort of comforting, and the vampire returned the smile with a slightly awkward, but stronger one.

“Uhh… Sure. All things considered, that isn’t an unfair request.” Jack nodded, offering his arm again as support. Getting a better look at Mark, He could see just how tired the American was. His friend’s heart was still racing, but Jack was ignoring it. He was still hungry, but the vampire had lost his appetite. He just wanted to help his friend back home.

“Oh good.” Mark grinned a little more. “Because right now, I feel like I’m going to pass out.... Ha-”


	2. Temptation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting home might take longer than expected...

_“Oh good.” Mark grinned a little more. “Because right now, I feel like I’m going to pass out.... Ha-_ ”

With that, the american slumped weakly against the wall. His smile faltering for a moment as he struggled to hold himself up.

“Jesus, Mark!” The vampire exclaimed, worried that the other male would faint on him at any moment. "I-If ya that bad, you could always rest before we head to your place… My hotel isn’t that far from here.”

"Nah! Nah... I'll be fine. We should get going. " The man quickly insisted when Jack made the suggestion. A sign of his remaining distrust towards the Irishman. Jack would be annoyed if it wasn’t completely understandable considering his previous actions. Instead, Jack was only frustrated with his friend.

"Mark seriously… I can see how bad you are. I could even carry ya if I have to.” Jack said, managing to keep his tone almost absent of irritation. “I don't mind." He wiggled the outstretched elbow to remind the disoriented male of the offered support.

"I'd rather just get home..." The american sighed. Cautiously reaching out, he took Jack’s offer, gently gripping on the vampire’s arms as he pushed himself off the wall. Jack couldn’t help smiling when Mark finally grabbed his arm, showing some trust. Unsteady legs trembled from underneath Mark for a moment. His grip tightened on Jack until the human found his balance, Once steady, Mark smiled back at the vampire.

Although, the smile was short lived as the american suddenly winced, holding his head. A softy pained hiss escaping past his lips.  
"Ow..."

The hiss was the final straw for the vampire, who swiftly put his other arm out and around the american to keep him from falling. 

"Okay Mark. Now, I am gonna say this in the nicest possible way. You look wea- You look like shit. I think it would be better if you rested. At least until your faint spells and headache you’re having passes."

Mark’s hold was a little tighter on Jack's arms as he used his other hand to rub at the back of his head. It took him a moment to respond, groaning quietly.

"Ugh… And I think I can manage getting home to rest instead!" There was a bit of a bite to his tone, but it was completely overshadowed by how weak the american sounded. Jack groaned in frustration. 

"Mark, you're as stubborn as a mule. I'm not doing this to be an arse. I'm trying to help you!"

"I just-!!" Mark started but his words were cut off when his eyes rolled back for a moment. His legs went completely out and the american nearly fell forward. But, Mark managed to catch himself before Jack could catch him. Still, the vampire put both of his hand on his friend’s arms to hold him steady. It had happened so fast that the vampire had no time to get in a word, just a concern whine. His friend was almost falling apart right in front of him and Jack’s mind was reeling for a reason why. He hadn’t hurt Mark, even when pretending to be scary. 

The other male hissed again and place a hand at the back of his head. There was a sudden whiff of that sweet smell. Jack’s racing mind abruptly came to a halt.

"Mark...?" The Irishman whispered, a hint of concern within the one word. He slowly reached out his free hand up to Mark’s head, fingers gently brushing through the back of Mark's hair. The american flinched when Jack reached for him but didn’t pull away. The vampire’s hand only stopping when he felt something wet on his fingertips.

“It’s nothi- Ah! Ow….” Jamming his eyes shut, Mark didn't finished what he was saying, interrupted by another groan. Confirming his suspicion, Jack quickly pulled his hand away from the other man. Even in the dark alley, the vampire could see the dark substance smeared across his fingers. He knew what it was. Jack stared down at his hand, hypnotized by the sight of Mark's blood. The sweet scent practically assaulting him. He was so hungry… His mouth was starting to water.

However, another groan from Mark snapped the vampire out of the trance. Forcing his line of sight away from his hand, Jack looked up to the man in front of him. He quickly noticed that Mark’s eyes were still closed. Had he seen the blood yet? Judging by his current state, Jack was guessing that Mark hadn’t seen or, at the very least, hadn’t seen Jack’s reaction to the blood. He need to warn his friend. Clearing his throat before speaking, his voice still quivered slightly.   
"Y-You're bleeding...M-Mark...We should g-go somewhere so we can get it looked at properly...I-It could be serious…!" As he spoke, Jack couldn't stop himself from letting his gaze fall back onto his fingers.

"I'm what..?" Opening his eyes, Mark spotted where Jack was staring. His eyes darted back up to the vampire, seeing how those glowing eyes were fixated on the blood. The american cursed softly.  
"Shit. It's okay, Jack…! I-It's probably just a scrape. Uhhh.. Let's head to somewhere with better light so we can get a look. Okay..?" Mark said quickly, tugging on the Irishman’s arm as took a few wobbly steps toward the street.

Fists clenched, the Irishman swallowed thickly and tried to control his breathing. He needed to keep it together. It didn’t matter how hungry he was. Mark, his friend, was hurt and scared because of him. Mark needed him.

"Maaarrk…” Despite it being a short name, Jack drew out the word, buying himself some more time to calm down. “W-We should get your head looked at by someone..." He paused to clear his throat, shaking his head as if he could shake off his hunger. "I think...That...F-finding someone who can help you...W-Would be our best option. Just in case the wound is serious..."

The american was obviously nervous and antsy, still tugging on Jack’s arm again, but gave a small nod. "O-okay. I guess. I really doubt I need a doctor.. But if it'll make you feel better, we can go find someone."

The vampire nodded as well, forcing himself to close his eyes. He could feel the blood between his finger. Sticky, warm, but starting to dry in his hand. A part of him felt betrayed by the wasteful act. The vampire wanted so desperately to have a taste before it dried entirely, but he was aware that doing that would only freak out his friend more. With a sigh and bringing his head up, his eyes opened to look at Mark. Jack forced a smile."C-C'mon then..."

Mark gave a small reassuring smile back. Leaning on the Irishman a little, he got himself ready for walking. "Lead the way...~" 

Jack nodded and started walking. His steps were slow and easy, doing his best to keep a comfortable pace for Mark. At first, the american was stumbling as they move, but eventually he found a way and pace that was stable enough to walk. The smell of Mark’s blood was even stronger with the american leaning on him, but somehow, the vampire was managing to ignore it, keeping his focus on what was important. He wanted to be supportive for his friend and not let the damn urges get the better of him. 

"Soo.. Where to first?" Mark asked as they reached the end of the alley. Underneath the light of a streetlamp, Jack saw how disheveled and pale the human was. The way Mark appeared, he might not make it to the doctors. 

"Wait..." The Irishman stopped his movement and helped Mark steady himself until he could stand without support for a moment. Once in the clear, Jack released himself from the american’s grip to rip the sleeve from his jacket. 

Wincing a little when Jack ripped his sleeve, Mark tried to argue. "That's-"  
However, the american was quickly treated to a determined stare that clearly read ‘shut up, i know what I’m doing’. Mark dropped it. 

The hand with the blood on it was still clenched into a fist,but Jack was going to need both hands for what he planned to do. Looking to Mark again, He concentrated on him as he eased his hand into relaxing.  
"I'm gonna wrap this around your head, kinda like a bandage...J-jus' to stop the bleeding, okay?" Jack explained, presenting the long strip of cloths. Mark sighed and gave another small nod. 

"Okay." Agreeing, the man lowered himself a little so Jack could have an easier time wrapping the fabric

Carefully, Jack wrapped his torn sleeve around Mark's head to cover the bleeding wound, doing his best to avoid his eyes and ear. A few time he bumped into the male’s glass, to which he was treated with an annoyed protest from the american. After knotting it into place, the Irishman stepped back to examine his work, instead of the fresh blood that was on both hands. 

“Done…” The examination was short lived as the vampire gaze went right to his hands after a few moment. Bitting his lips slightly, he tried with no avail to look away from the blood. Jack knew how much he had scared Mark and knew that staring at his blood wasn't helping. He was just so hungry that controlling the simple action of moving his head felt impossible.

"J-Jack..." Mark’s voice was soft. The Irishman could see just beyond his hand that Mark had lifted his head and was currently staring at him. A pang of guilt struck at his heart, afraid of what the other male was thinking of him. Taking a moment to steady his voice, the american continued. "Are you going to be okay..?"

The american asking about his well being was another unexpected reaction, but it relieved the Irishman of some of the pain in his chest. He wanted to answer, but the words stuck in his throat. Closing his eyes as he gulped, Jack gave himself a second to get his answer out.  
"I-I sh-should be..." Jack opened his eyes, but he was still looking at the blood on his hands.

Jack let out a sigh and closed his eyes again. No matter how calm about this Mark was being, the Irishman really didn’t want to see his reaction to the question he about to ask.  
"W-Would it be...W-Weird or make you uncomfortable...I-If I licked my hand clean?"

"Uuuhhhhh..." The sound the american made was drawn out as he was trying to think of his answer. When the sound died down, there was a long period of silence between them. Feeling as if he’d overstepped his boundaries, Jack opened his mouth to speak once more, to take back his question.

"It's... fine." 

Mark finally got out. 

Eyes snapping opened, the vampire stared at human with pure bewilderment. The american return the stare with a stronger reassuring smile. 

“I’ll be fine, Jack…~ Just work yourself out first, okay?”

Jack wasn’t even going to question his friend. If Mark said it was fine, then it was fine and that’s all that matter to the Irishman at this point. Bringing his hand up to his mouth, he began to lick Mark's blood off of him. A happy hum arose from the vampire throat, indulging in the sweet taste. It could have just been the hunger talking, but the american’s blood was the best thing Jack had ever tasted. Dragging his tongue against every digit until there was no trace of blood left, a wave of relief washed over him. His eyes shifted to their usual ocean blue.

When he was finished, Jack lowered his hand to see Mark, who was wearing a somewhat uncomfortable expression. The american had his head slightly turned away from him but was still staring at the vampire. The guilt from early coming back to strike at Jack’s chest. His gaze falling to the ground.

"S-Sorry..” The Irishman apologized. It was probably super weird to have watch a friend do that, especially with all the noises Jack had shamelessly made. 

However, Mark’s body seemed to relax once catching sight of Jack’s eyes. The american lowered his head to try and catch the vampire’s gaze. A small but brighter smile on his face.

“I told you. It’s fine, Jack.” The American tried to reassure his friend. Brown eyes found blue eyes, and Jack found himself smiling 

Nodding his head, the vampire then cleared his throat "What about you? . Are you a little better now? Those bandages helping with the blood loss?"

"Mhm...! Thanks, Jack." Mark smiled, running a finger along the bandage to make sure it was fastened. "How about you? I'm guessing you're feeling better too."

"Y-Yeah. Thanks Mark. I know it was probably weird....I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable at all. That's the last thing I would want to do… And I'm sorry again about the way I acted. It was wrong… I should've had better control. Then maybe you wouldn't have gotten hurt..."

“Stop that...~” The american grinned and nudged Jack lightly with his arm. “I told you, Jack. It's fine. I'm just glad you are feeling better. " Mark explained. It was as if a switch had been turned on in the other male. He seemed way better that he had been just a few minutes ago.

"And I already told you, I wouldn't be mad if you help me home!" He snickered playfully. "Hold your end of the deal and I'll hold mine."

Jack laughed some, catching Mark’s enthusiasm. "Well, I suppose I can do that!"

“Let's go home then already!" Mark smiled even more when Jack laughed. Changing their direction, the american started leading them towards his place.


	3. Walk of Shame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack wants to keep his promise to bring Mark home, but Mark starts pressing for information. This could be a long walk home...

_ “Let's go home then already!" Mark smiled even more when Jack laughed. Changing their direction, the american started leading them towards his place.”  _

 

The American’s home was at least ten minutes away from where they were. As minutes and streetlights passed, Mark seemed to grow more and more comfortable around Jack which was a relief for the vampire.  After reaching the five minute mark, the American posed his nonchalant question. "Sooo... Am I allowed to ask how  _ this _ happened or do you not want to talk about it?" 

 

Mark smiled genuinely at the Irishman, but Jack remained silent. He knew the question Mark was trying to ask, even if the American had been a little vague. Despite the vampire reluctance to go into the story, he also understood that Mark deserved an answer. Or at least, some explanation for what Jack was.

 

"... My dad never mentioned anything to my mother,” Jack started, licking his lips as he decided what his next sentence would be. Was it wrong to talk about these things with Mark, the vampire wondered. Shaking off his hesitation, the Irishman continued. “And out of all five children, two of us gained the vampire gene, myself and my oldest sister. But for those born a vampire, signs of what they are don't come through puberty. So like any time between thirteen and eighteen.” 

 

Jack glanced over to his friend, seeing Mark tilted his head and giving the vampire a curious look. “Oh? That means you’re naturally born instead of turned. Is that rare or something? Pure?”

 

Jack snorted softly. “Yeah and no. Most vampires are born. I mean… You can turn a person, but it won’t always work and is difficult to do. There’s no real sense in trying it. And there’s not really anything pure about turning either way….” The Irishman trailed off. The whole topic of becoming a vampire was always an uncomfortable one. Absently, Jack rubbed at his shoulder and neck. However, Mark seemed to grow more intrigued at what was probably new information for him. 

 

“Oh really, How does that-” Mark suddenly stopped, seeming to finally catch on to his friend’s discomfort “Wait... never mind. That's sounds a little personal.” He spoke quickly, back tracking himself. It was clear by his expression that he was still bouncing around thoughts and questions but leaving them unspoken. 

 

“It’s a- It’s a long explanation. And kind of complicated…  But nothing to worry about either.” The vampire shrugged off the attempt, but was thankful to not have to answer whatever Mark question was going to be. He gave Mark a smile, though it was obviously forced. The american lost his smile, which only made Jack feel worse.  Shame creeping back into the vampire, Jack hung his head. His arms crossing over his middle as his movement slowed to halt.

 

“I’m really sorry for scaring you, Mark. I didn’t mean to…! I-I just…. Got carried away.” Guilt was thick in the vampire’s tone as he stared at the floor, afraid to spare a glance at his friend. The words ‘carried away’ tasted sour in Jack’s mouth. It almost belittled what had happen.  True, Jack may not have bitten the man, but he had attacked him. He had injured Mark! No matter the outcome, the Irishman had still attacked his friend. He didn’t get carried away. He had lost control. And the vampire couldn’t help but wonder about what would have happened had he gotten his fangs into Mark.  

What if he’d drained him dry. 

If he hadn’t been able to stop… 

The thought sickened him. Jack visibly shuddered and cringed, gripping tightly on his arm.

 

Suddenly, there was a light jab just below where Jack’s hand was. Mark was nudging him. “Hey…! Don’t worry about it too much. Okay,  I… I might have been scared. But, you’re my friend, Jack! So it’s fine..!”  The american said, sounding more confident than expected. 

 

The vampire peeked up a little to see that Mark was smiling at him. Friend. The word resonated with Jack, feeling just a little more at peace with the situation. At least Mark still saw him as a friend. 

 

Though he could be just saying that to…. 

 

Jack quickly shook off the thought before it got too far. He was going to trust his friend. Especially since Mark was showing trust in him. Forcing himself to be positive, the vampire managed a weak smile. He wanted to agree with the american, to act like himself, but the ‘it’s fine’ remark wasn’t sitting well with him.  He couldn’t just ‘forget it’; he couldn’t pretend that things were fine.

 

“Mark…”The vampire finally said after a moment of silence, dropping his smile. “ I don’t think you understand…” 

 

The other man’s brows furrowed together, looking confused. “Understand what…?” Mark asked. He took a step toward the vampire, but Jack moved away, shaking his head.

 

“I don’t understand how this… How what happened is fine… D-Do you realise what could have happened? Mark I-!”  Mark cut Jack off before the Irishman could finish his thought.

 

“I’m not worried about what you didn’t do..!” 

 

Jack’s thoughts were brought to a stop, only to come back with a vengeance. His friend just wasn’t seeing the bigger picture, the bigger problem. The vampire growled with agitation. “Mark…! Think about what happened. Do you realise how close I was to biting you? What if I had?!” The vampire shouted at the other male. There was a moment of fear in the american’s eyes, and Mark took a step back. Internally Jack cursed himself for his outburst, he drew even further back from Mark. His hands moving up from his arms to his hair, clawing and grasping anxiously at the green strands. Ducking his head down, he continued to let out frustration on his scalp.  “ I-I-I… I lost control. I waited too long and I was just so hungry! And I attacked you!! Your head! I- I hurt you..!” He didn’t mean to shout again, but he couldn’t help it.  Gripping tighter on himself, the vampire softly whimpered. 

 

There was a long pause between the two men. Jack was almost grateful for the silences, allowing a moment to collect himself, but also having his anxiety amplified by the lack of response. His nails slowly stop digging into him, and he brought one hand down to his side while waiting. 

 

“Too long…?” Mark finally asked after a few minutes. There was hesitation in his voice. Of course, Mark didn’t know what Jack meant. This was all new to him. 

 

Jack didn’t dare look up yet. Taking a slow, steady breath in and out, the vampire answered. “The last time I had any form of blood was before my flight… And it’s been a couple of-” The Irishman was about to explain himself when something sharp had brushed against his lips while speaking.  His free hand going over his mouth and eyes went wide. The vampire's fangs were back. Filled with frustration and panic, Jack’s hand started gripping and pulling at his green hair. If he was hungry, he needed to distract himself. He could feel his fangs pressing against the inside of his mouth. No, no, no. He couldn't. He was better than this, he could control himself he wasn't a monster.

 

Out of nowhere, there was something around his wrist. Startled, Jack lifted his head and saw Mark's face only a few inches away from him. When those brown eyes widened with fear, the Irishman knew his eyes were red again. He could hear the american's quicken heart beat from this close. Jack shut his eyes, shaking as he tried to pull away. He wouldn't. He wasn't a monster...   
  
In the midst of his panic, Mark didn't let go of him. Another whimper arose from Jack’s throat, but still the american’s hold remained. After a few moments, Jack stopped fighting to get free.

 

"Have you not…had blood since you got here?" The question came quietly. Mark was...Worried? The concern in the american’s tone was enough to bring Jack to open his eyes again. Mark’s gaze was no longer fearful; instead, it was worried and determined. Realizing Mark was trying to help, Jack had to answer.  However, it took a few seconds for the vampire to find his voice.

 

"The last time I fed was in Ireland."

 

Mark did not appear to be pleased with this answer. "Well, fuck! No wonder you lost it-... You’re practically starving yourself, right?? Why did you wait so long if you were hungry, Jack? Is it-?" Before the man could finish his question, Jack fell to his knees, overwhelmed by another oncoming panic.

God, he really fucked up, and now Mark was angry at him.

 

The vampire tried to curl in on himself. Though, the attempt was a bit thwarted with Mark still holding on to his wrist. To prove the american’s point, the vampire’s stomach growled. Jack cursed himself. 

 

“I thought I was okay! I didn’t feel hungry… Then all of a sudden, today, it hit me like a fucking train… I-I need-” Not letting himself finish, Jack physically slapped himself across the face with his free hand. His name was shouted after the impact, but the rest of the world became distant as Jack drifted back into his panicking thoughts. No! He didn’t need anything from Mark! He would pull himself the fuck together and help Mark home like he promised. 

 

If Jack need anything it was that he needed to get off the ground. However, his whole body seemed to be refusing to move. The hand that were still on Jack’s wrist tugged him upward as another hand grabbed on to his under arm. The vampire watched vacantly as his friend knelt down to help him up.

 

“Stand up!---” The american’s order sounded far away to Jack. There was more to what Mark was saying, but he didn’t catch it all. Not wanting the american’s help, The Irishman tried to get his arms free, wiggling and squirming out of the man’s grip.  If Mark wanted Jack to stand up, then the vampire was going to need to use his arms. 

 

Suddenly both of Mark’s hands left Jack’s person and his arms flop to the floor, unceremoniously. Though, before the Irishman could even think of moving, the hands were back, taking hold of Jack’s underarms. The American knelt down beside Jack then using the leverage to push the man up on to his feet.  The two men were face to face once more.

 

“Now you listen here, you little shit. It is the middle of the night. I’m very fucking tired and want to go home. You are going to calm your tits, walk me home, and we'll talk about this like functioning adults in the morning, got it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try for a chapter posted every other Wednesday!  
> Thanks for reading ^^


	4. Discomfort (And more walking)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the two calm again, Mark still wants to know more about being a vampire and even offers some help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK FOR HALLOWEEN WITH SOME VAMPIRE INFO!

_“Now you listen here, you little shit. It is the middle of the night. I’m very fucking tired and want to go home. You are going to calm your tits, walk me home, and we'll talk about this like functioning adults in the morning, got it?”_

 

Completely jarred from suddenly being manhandled, it took Jack a second to realize he was on his feet. The stern, almost aggressive, tone Mark used left the vampire in shock, but the American’s outburst also forced Jack to pull through his panic enough to acknowledge his surroundings. His eyes were wide with confusion. Mark was known to rage at a frustrating game; however, in person, his anger could be very chilling. For the American to act like this, it meant that he meant wanted to be taken seriously. Jack put a little more weight on his feet, standing on his own.

 

Then the phrase ‘' _calm your tits_ ’ finally processed in the Irishman’s mind, and Jack couldn’t resist the chuckle that broke his silence.

 

Jack wasn’t sure if a laugh was what his friend had been aiming for, though it seemed to ease Mark enough into loosening his grip on the vampire. The Irishman opened his mouth, only to abruptly shut it. The American remained quiet and watched the other man, patiently giving Jack another moment. Finally, the vampire managed to say, “O-Okay.”

 

Mark smiled a little, hands slowly leaving Jack’s person. “Good. We should get going then.”

 

With his mind a little clearer, Jack nodded and moved to fix his clothes. The American took a few steps ahead before turning back to the Irishman, appearing to be watching him carefully. Feeling awkward from both his initial panic being over and the bit of staring, his hands went into his hoodie pocket by reflex. His right hand brushed against his phone and wallet, while his left-hand brush against… Another phone?

 

Grabbing hold of the object, Jack pulled out to reveal Mark’s phone. For a brief moment, both men were baffled by the vampire’s finding until Jack remembered why it was in his pocket.

 

“Oh!” Quickly, he offered the phone back to its owner with a sheepish smile. “Here. It fell out your pocket earlier… Erm… When you ran away…”

The American looked surprised before giving a nod, smiling softly at Jack. He took the phone slipping it back in his pocket “Well thanks, Jack. I hadn’t even realized I lost it.”

Jack shrugged. “No problem. Besides… It was kinda my fault that you dropped it. The least I could do was pick it up for you.”

 

“Don't worry too much about it.” Mark reassured, still giving a soft smile. Jack wanted to argue but instead, let out a sigh and nodded in agreement.

 

After everything, Mark was no longer leaning on Jack for support. He was walking on his own at a slow pace while Jack still stayed by the American’s side just in case. With the Irishman having calmed down a little, his eyes had returned to their natural blue and his fangs had retracted somewhat. They were still longer than normal, but they weren’t pressing as harshly against his lip, and they weren't as visible to Mark when Jack spoke.

 

As the two walked in silences, it was becoming obvious that there was a small amount of tension sill in the air. Mark’s gaze kept traveling over to  Jack, but before the Irishman could notice, he would look down or away.

 

Mark tried to push away his thoughts, to focus on getting home. But the unwanted thought of what Jack said was still playing on his mind, “ _I waited too long and I was just so hungry! The last time I fed was in Ireland._ ” Mark had met up with Jack on his first day in America, that was almost two days ago.  Given that information, Mark could guess that it had been three days since Jack fed, _possibly more_. He had to be starving! Mark couldn’t imagine going three days without eating.

 

Mark couldn’t just ignore it. He needed to say something. He needed to… He wanted to help. Maybe, he could help Jack find something to feed on. Giving himself more time in silences to think about his words and exactly what he should say, he finally posed the question, hoping that what he said didn’t sound offensive.

 

“Is the reason why you waited so long... because you-...” The American paused and chewed his lip bottom lip. The two continue to walk.

“...I mean… Is it… Is It because it’s _lethal_?”

 

Hearing Mark speak up, Jack listened. He didn’t rush the other, and he could tell that Mark was nervous about what he was saying. The vampire could agree that it wasn’t exactly the easiest question to ask. When Mark finished, Jack shook his head and turned toward the other man as he said “No, it’s not lethal. A vampire only needs to drink like half a pint to a pint of blood, which is what you usually give if you donate blood... I jus-”

 

Jack paused. Grimacing, his gaze moved to somewhere farther from them. “The word _vampire_  has such negative imagery linked to it… I try not to draw attention to the whole vampire things…”

 

"Oh…  That makes sense..." Mark said slowly, mouth turning south. Looking at the other male, the American appearing as though he was working out his next few questions. There were a few moments of silence before Mark posed his next question "Can you only drink human blood? Does it have to be... from someone..? Or could it be in a container?"

 

Jack was quicker on his answer this time. "It doesn't have to be human. I could find a rabbit or a deer or something. That was the reason why I was out!” the vampire’s tone was slightly defensive as if he felt like he’d been accused of something.  Mark frowned again and went to apologize, but Jack continued to explain himself.

 

“I was looking for a squirrel or any kind of critter I could catch. But human blood is technically better for us… It satisfies the hunger faster and longer than any animal.” Jack was visibly uncomfortable. He didn’t really talk about this stuff with anyone. He’d never had to. He didn’t want to scare Mark (At least any more than he had). However, Mark seemed interested. Brown eyes had sparked with fascination somewhere while Jack was talking. He wasn't  scared or creeped out. So, Jack decided to explain a little further.

 

“As for if I had to drink straight from the person, if they had had their blood taken, I could drink it from the blood bag. Or, if someone slit their wrist and let it drain into a glass, I could drink that. But, it tends to be easier and a lot less painful for the person when a vampire drinks straight from them."

 

Mark appeared surprised, clearly new information for him, and before he could even process his thoughts, he blurted out "Really!? It's less painful?"

Jack rubbed the back of his neck, an awkward smile on his features. God, this was weird, and he couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable by the whole conversation. To fight through his discomfort, the vampire reminded himself that Mark deserved answers.

 

“It probably sounds dumb or made up but… A vampire’s bite doesn’t actually hurt. I-” he stopped mid-sentence,  thinking. Mark didn’t rush him.

“I don’t really know how to explain it, since I’ve never been bitten-But it… It feels like an injection.Sort of? Like, you know its happening but it’s not painful or anything? However, if you cut yourself that’ll tend to hurt.”  

 

"Ohh.." Mark grew quiet, mulling this over in his mind. His facial expression and body language clearly showed how bizarre he thought this all sounded. Although, his language also showed that he was willing to trust the vampire on his answers."Okay. One last question. Besides your family who else knows about this? About you."

 

It wasn't a question Jack was expecting. He rubbed the back of his neck as he replied. "No one. I avoid telling people… Well, not exactly _no one_ … Ex-girlfriends… My old roommates they knew… But I avoid telling people... I avoided telling **you** for as long as I could. However, because of how I acted, I was sort of forced into telling you." Jack inhaled deeply letting out a sigh. He really wasn't used to talking about this, and deep down, he was still a little worried that Mark wouldn't want to be his friend anymore.

 

After all, Mark probably never knew any other vampires, and most people only knew vampires from pop culture. Normally, vampires were depicted as monsters and demons. Although, it wasn’t true! Jack knew that being a vampire didn’t make him inherently evil. But what would Mark this? Especially after how he acted...

 

"Should have just gone with my pizza offer when you had the chance. Jackaboy." Mark chuckled, teasing the vampire. However, the man quickly noticed that Jack was looking uncomfortable and worried. Trying to make eye contact with Jack, Mark gave a small reassuring smile. "Hey. Don't worry about it. Now that I know… I don't know! Maybe I can help you? At least while you're in town."

 

"H-Help me?" Jack's gaze fell on Mark with a look of surprise from the American's words. _Mark was offering to let him-_ _No,_ **_No!_** Even if Mark had offered him, Jack **would not** use his friend as a blood bag, _as a meal_. **It was wrong!** Jack refused to make a habit of drinking human blood. Occasionally, his mother or his brother would offer to help Jack out, mainly when they got snowed in the log cabin. Jack could always go hunting. He **WOULD** go hunting. He wouldn’t use Mark.

 

Shaking his head vigorously, the vampire gave his answer. "N-No…! I mean thanks for the offer but...I-I don't want you to feel like this is something that you have to do."

 

"Jack..' Mark sighed, rolling his eyes. He was still smiling, which only served to frustrate Jack a bit. "'I'm not offering because it's some noble cause or something!” The American snorted and waved his hands around in a ridiculous fashion that almost looked like bowing with hands.  “It's just that... You need help and I'm here for you if you need it." Beaming, he nudged the other man playfully in the side. "It's what friends do, you goof."

 

A light chuckle cracked through Jack’s frustration, but he was still uncomfortable with the idea of using Mark. "I can understand that… But I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable."

 

"Eehh, I'll get over it. Everything is weird at first, right?" Mark shrugged, giving Jack a confident smile.

 

"I suppose."It made Jack feel a little better to know that despite everything his friend was still by his side. Although, he was still a little unsure about Mark’s offer of ‘help’. The vampire knew he could go hunting again. For as much as he appreciated that Mark wanted to help, he was more than capable of finding food himself.

 

Trying to change the subject Jack added. “Although, now that I’m thinking about it; Pizza is very tempting… Maybe we can get Pizza tomorrow!”

Mark nodded his head eagerly as he said, “That sounds good! Er… Maybe first, see how my head is tomorrow. Then pizza! It could be for either if it’s bad or good news!”  

 

“Of course! And if you don’t want to leave the house tomorrow or your head is bad, then we could always get take-out?”

 

Mark grinned some more and leaned a little against Jack as they walked. “That works for me!”

 

~~ ____ ~~

 

The two soon reached Mark’s street, heading towards his house. The path to the American’s house had a steep incline, and Jack had to support Mark all the way up to the door.  Once on the front porch, the American fished out his keys and worked on unlocking his door. Jack offered to help Mark into his house, but Mark quickly dismissed the offer. Getting the door open, the American stepped inside and turned to face the vampire.

 

“So I kept my end of the deal,”Jack said, managing a small smile.  Mark chuckled.

 

“And as I promised, I am no longer mad!” Mark proclaimed, almost proudly. He then stepped back and waited for Jack to come in.

 

However, Jack stayed outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you made it this far, please consider leaving a comment! Feedback would be most appreciated! <3


	5. Home at Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Needed update. Watch the boys be silly and tease each other while Mark and Jack adjust to the awkwardness.

_“So I kept my end of the deal,” Jack said, managing a small smile. Mark chuckled._

_“And as I promised, I am no longer mad!” Mark proclaimed, almost proudly. He then stepped back and waited for Jack to come in._

_However, Jack stayed outside._

The vampire maintained a soft smile, putting his hands in his pockets. He took a step back, getting ready to say his good nights; however, Mark seemed a little concerned. Looking to the other man with a raised eyebrow, Mark asked. “Something wrong?”

Jack shook his head quickly. No, it’s just… Well...” The vampire trailed off, rubbing his neck. After scaring Mark, even if he had tried to assure Jack he was okay, Jack still didn’t want to force himself into the American’s space. He shifted his weight on his feet, feeling awkward about explaining his hesitancy. The silence wasn’t helping anyone. Mark tilted his head to the side slightly, looking confused as he waited for Jack to answer.

Suddenly, the American was struck with a new realization.  
“Oh!- Er… Do I have to invite you in?” He asked with both curiosity and genuine apology as if he had done something obviously rude.   
Jack tried hard to not laugh at Mark’s ‘ _realization_ ’, shaking his head with a smirk. “...Or is that not true?”

“No, no! It’s not that! Although, I still think that it's polite to wait until I'm asked to come in! That’s not the reason-I just… I know what some people think about vampires. The sort of image we’re given... I didn’t want you to think you had to invite me in. I can just head back to my hotel.”

Mark listen silently before rolling his eyes.  
“Jack, you really are a goof, know that? Holding the door open for you is an invitation to come in! I don’t feel obliged to do it. I’m inviting you in because you’re my friend. Now dork, come on in!” The American ordered with a wide grin then added. “Before I let in a raccoon too because the door is open-”

“How many times must we go through this Mark, I’m not a doof I’m a goober.” Jack tried to joke, feeling only a little silly for doubting that Mark wanted him in. Swiftly, the vampire entered the house and Mark closed the door behind him. The American hummed thoughtfully as though he was considering what Jack said.

“Nope… You must have dreamt it. I do not remember such a conversation.” Jack could see the teasing look in the American’s chocolate eyes. Jack smirked as he replied, “Oh please Mark, sleep? Vampires are called night walkers for a reason.”

Mark snickered, managing to answer without missing a beat, “Oh? But I thought that meant you slept during the day. After all, you practically live on American time! Hell, sometimes you don’t wake up until after I do!”

Jack shrugged, nonchalantly and holding back a smile. “I adjusted myself to work on those times because a lot of my youtube friends live in America. It’s easier to work on ‘america time’ so I can keep in touch with you all.”

””Aww, how sweet of you.” Mark cooed, teasing, and nudging the Irishman playfully again. Jack stuck his tongue out in response. Unfortunately, he managed to cut his tongue on his own fangs with the action. The vampire made a pained hiss and groaned, pulling a face. He could taste his own blood. Gross.

“Jack?” Concern filtering into his tone, Mark’s playful look left his face. Jack shook his head, trying to change his disgusted expression.

“It’s nothing… Bit my tongue.” The vampire said while trying not to put pressure on his wounded muscle. His fangs were in clear view as he spoke, which made it easier for the American to figure out what had really happened. Once everything fell into place, Mark was doing his best not to snicker, and Jack could see it on his face. Half-heartedly glaring at Mark, Jack warned with the same awkward speech as before, “Don’t do it.”

Mark couldn’t help snorting a little. He was so obviously dying to laugh. In all honesty, Jack didn’t mind if Mark laughed. There was some form of irony and definitely humor to a vampire biting its own tongue. Eventually, that snort went from a snicker to a giggle, and Mark was struggling to hold himself together. Taking pity on the human, Jack finally granted permission with the phrase, “Yeah, yeah laugh it up, Fischbach.”

With that, Mark burst into a fit of laughter, loud and uncontrollable. The best kind of laugh the American had. Jack rolled his eyes. He almost was about to stick his tongue out but stopped himself. After all, that was what made him cut his tongue in the first place. Instead, the Irishman flipped the other man off. Mark returning to gesture.

“Sorry, but you gotta admit it's kind of funny.”

Jack looked at Mark, pulling a blank expression. The look practically stopped Mark’s laughs immediately. His face fell with the sudden worry of doing something wrong. Seeing Mark’s face fall, Jack laughed as well, “It was funny, Mark. Don’t look so worried, goof!”

Mark relief was clear in his body language. His grin coming back in full force, and he playfully hit the other man. “Oh my god Jack! For a moment there I thought had broken some code and you were genuinely upset. You dick! Don’t play with my emotions!” Mark ranted, but the Irishman could tell it was just over exaggeration by the man’s smile. Jack laughed some more with a smug look.

“Sorry, but if you can laugh at me. I can laugh at you. Only fair!”

“Mm...Touche.” Mark shrugged and crossed his arm, admitting defeat in the argument. Pretending to be serious, the American was trying to hold a straight face. Jack grinned at the other man, feeling victorious over the small win. A smile cracking on Mark’s lip, but Jack noticed the way Mark’s gaze trailed a little lower. The human's eyes drawn to his fangs, his smile disappearing again. His eyes unrecognizable and focused. The vampire swiftly closed his mouth, grin leaving him as his gaze moved to the floor. In his head, he reasoned that Mark’s reaction was only natural but less positive thoughts entered his mind of what the unreadable expression could mean. “ _He doesn’t really trust you.” “Why would he want to be friends with a monster.” “Less than ten minutes ago you could have killed him, and you believe he wants you around_.” Jack unconsciously took a step away from Mark. Without thinking, Jack said his apology again “I-I really am sorry for scaring you.”

Shaking off his stare, Mark laughed light-heartedly. His cheeks reddening a bit, having realized he had been staring at Jack’s fangs. “Don’t worry about it, Jack! I promise it’s fine! True, I wasn’t expecting it but. I know you, Jack. I know you wouldn’t have hurt me. Or at least, I definitely know that now!”

Jack shuffled back from his friend, gaze still on the floor. He heard the American curse under his breath. “Don’t sweat it okay? I’m already plotting my revenge and it’s gonna be huge. Jackaboy, prepare yourself!”

The idea of Mark’s version of revenge brought a chuckle out of the vampire.   
“Oh really? Not sure if I should hide myself away or not.” He said, peeking up at the American. His lips pulled back into an amused smile.

“No way, Jackaboy! There’s is no hiding from me and my vengeance.” Mark proclaimed. Jack laughed some, smile widening more and the American quickly followed into laughter.

“Oh dear, how ever will I survive the wrath of Markimoo.” the vampire let his tone be high and overdramatic, no sincerity to his words. To add to the act, he took a giant step away from the American, towards the living room. Mark did his best impression of a villainous grin.

“Watch your back, Jackboy! I will strike when you least expect me to.” The other man had his voice fall low, cooing the words as he followed the Irishman to the living room. Although Jack could feel his cheek heat up when the American’s voice dropped an octave, he merely rolled his eyes at Mark’s attempt to be threatening, successfully hiding the bashful and flustered look in his eyes. Mark responded by looking very offended, his back straightening and a hand going to his chest, undignified. The Irishman laughed even more.

“Whatever you say, Markipoo!” He cooed right back in ridiculously high and mocking tone. It was was easy to tell that Mark was trying not to smile or laugh. Gracing the American by changing the subject, Jack added, “Soooo… Something you wanna do now that we are here?"

"Oh!” Mark said loudly, like the reminder of being in his own home had clued him into something he had forgotten. “Well, I want to get cleaned up and maybe changed out of these sweaty, bloody, clothes. Probably going to look for the first aid kit too."

“Riiiiiight. Probably a good idea. If ya want, I can look for the first-aid kit while you change."

"That would be good, thanks.” Mark nodded with a smile. He then started to back out of the living room, calling, “ It should be in the downstairs bathroom, top left cabinet." The American explained, starting to head upstairs. With the simple instructions, Jack made his way to said bathroom, quickly locating the first-aid kit. Grabbing the kit and swiftly made his way upstairs, Jack called to Mark. "I got it!"


	6. Playing Doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally home, Jack helps to patch Mark up, and Mark doesn't know who Dr. Schneeplestien is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, who is patient enough for me to update! It really means a lot! ^^ I'm going to try a two-week schedule and hopefully that'll work out better-

"That would be good, thanks.” Mark nodded with a smile. He then started to back out of the living room, calling, “ It should be in the downstairs bathroom, top left cabinet." The American explained, starting to head upstairs. With the simple instructions, Jack made his way to said bathroom, quickly locating the first-aid kit. Grabbing the kit and swiftly made his way upstairs, Jack called to Mark. "I got it!"

 

\--------

The American had already stripped off his old clothes and was sliding on a clean shirt when Jack knocked on the bedroom door. 

 

“Come in.” He called while straightening his shirt. Slowly, the vampire opened the door, bringing in the first aid kit.  “Where do you want this?” 

 

“Just place it there for now.” The American made a vague gesture in the direction of the bed. His attention was on the floor, looking for his phone. Setting down the first aid kit and sitting down on the bed, Jack watched with amusement. 

 

"Do you need any help?" He asked after a moment of Mark continuing to search.

 

“Uhhh… Could probably use some help putting on the actual bandages…~” Mark answered, gesturing to the torn fabric still around his head. “Can you pass me an antiseptic wipe?" The American added.

 

"Oh! Sure." Jack was a bit surprised by the answer, but quickly opened the first-aid kit and took out an antiseptic wipe, passing it to Mark. “What are you looking for?”

 

Tearing himself from his search on the floor, the American grabbed offered the packet. “I put my phone down while changing and now I can't find it…” Mark answered while giving a bit of an embarrassed smile. Jack couldn't help snickering a little from the smile, and Mark shifted his focus away from the vampire.  Opening the pack, Mark wiped down where some dried blood was on his elbow. Both elbows had been scraped from the fall before, but with his jacket on, neither men had noticed. While the American was cleaning his wounds, Jack picked up the search, scanning the floor. The floor was fairly clean, with only the discarded clothing in sight. Eventually, the Irishman’s gaze traveled upward, spotting something on the nightstand. “Is that it?”

 

“That what?”

 

“is that your phone on the nightstand, goof.”

 

Mark gave Jack a puzzled look before moving over to said nightstand, where his phone was.

 

“Oh hey!” Mark exclaimed with a grin, picking up the device and sliding it into my pocket. “Heh… wow. I am really out of it tonight.” 

The American teased himself, but Jack showed concern on his face. Noticing the expression, the American changed the subject. "Soo… Hey. Would you mind... checking my back? I think it's just bruised, but I want to make sure there’s no cuts or bleeding." 

 

The question brought the vampire out of his worried mind and he nodded."I don't mind."

 

Mark smiled a little before crouching down in front of the vampire and turning so his back was facing him. While Mark was getting into position, Jack retrieved another wipe to use in case of any blood. Carefully, he lifted Mark's t-shirt up to inspect his back.

 

The cool air of the bedroom hitting Mark’s exposed flesh causing him to shiver. His back had a few bruises, some around the shoulders that were quite large. There were a few scrapes near Mark’s spine, but nothing was bleeding. Jack let out a slight sigh as he said: “Your back is pretty bruised with a couple scrapes but nothing too bad, man." 

 

"Ah, well that's a relief. Going to be hard to sleep tonight though. Ha-" Mark pulled the t-shirt back down and stood up, giving Jack a playful smile. The vampire returned the smile with his own soft one. 

 

“Alright! Now for the bandages.” The American added while heading over to the nearest trash can, tossing out the used wipes.

 

Agreeing, Jack started searching in the first aid kit for bandages and tape. “Okay. Pretty sure this'll work better if we’re on the same level.” He suggested, pushing the kit to the side once getting out what he needed. Mark was quick to take the freed spot beside the Irishman.

“You just don't want to stand up.” The American teased before turning and tilting his head so Jack could reach him easier. Carefully, the vampire began to pull off the makeshift bandage. A quiet hiss arose from the American when the fabric was pulled from his injury. Dried blood stained the torn shirt, leaving a dull scent of Mark in the air.

 

However, to Jack’s relief, the wound was no longer bleeding. It was a small win against Jack’s temptation. 

 

"W-we should probably disinfect it just to be safe." The American said, blindly reaching around the bed.

 

"Don't worry...I already got a wipe.” Jack tore his gaze away from Mark’s wound to open the pack he had been holding on to. “It's gonna hurt though...The wound's pretty bad. I'm actually a little surprised that it didn't start bleeding again." There was a hint of discomfort in the Irishman's voice as he felt a pang of guilt in his chest. 

 

"It's fine. I can handle a little pain." Mark reassure the other, not noticing or not mentioning the vampire’s discomfort.

 

"If ya say so," Jack replied, shaking of his moment of weakness. Mark didn’t seem to be mad about it, so Jack should just try and make up for his mistake. 

  
  


Mark turned his head a little to face his friend, giving a reassuring smile, to which Jack returned the favor "Alright, Doctor Septiceye. Do your thing~"

 

Jack laughed, sitting up a little and guiding Mark to face away from him once more. Speaking in his fake Russian accent, Jack took the disinfectant and began to clean the wound. "The names Doctor Schneeplestein! Don't worry, Mark! I am a qualified doctor!".

 

Mark snorted, having a hard time containing his laugh, which made his head bob around. "Doctor what?

 

“Hold still.” The Irishman jokingly scolded, using his free hand to try to steady his friend. "Don't you remember the video I did before?  It was the Jacksepticeye Power Hour where I messed about with Operation. I said my name was Doctor Schneeplestein." 

 

“I recall. I’m more questioning your-" Mark was interrupted when he felt the disinfecting on his wound. Like a delayed reaction, the man winced and hissed softly. Jack felt a pang of guilt again but knew that it was a natural reaction. Focusing on what he was doing, he fell silent as he thoroughly cleaning the wound. The American still hissing a few times. 

 

Once finished, he dropped the wipe into his lap and grabbed the bandages. It was a miracle that the torn shirt had lasted all the way home. When Jack made his first attempt to bandage Mark, the bandages seemed to unravel instantly whenever one of Jack’s hands move away. The American chuckled a little every time a bandage would fall in front of his face. Eventually, Mark had to take off his glasses to avoid getting in the way, and Jack had to grab the tape.

 

“That may hurt coming off,” Jack warned, taping down the bandage on Mark’s temple. The American merely shrugged in response.

 

“I’ll live.” 

 

With the tape, Jack could use both his hand to apply the bandages, soon cutting it from the rest and taping the end down. Slowly, Mark's body relaxed again. After the Irishman was finished, Mark ran his finger along the bandage, making sure it was fastened. "Thanks again for the help, Jack. I mean- er, Doc."

 

"It's no problem Mark. Anything for a friend."  Jack laughed slightly as he assured the other 

 

Suddenly, Mark stood up, facing Jack with a pretend surprise expression."Friend? Oh, doctor! This is all happening so fast!" The man faked a swoon while snickering. 

 

Jack snickered as well, amused by Mark’s attics. Standing up, the Irishman teased back a little, “So you can’t be friends with your doctor? Wow, Mark. I always thought you were outgoing.” 

 

“You may think that, but I assure you that I don’t usually work that fast making friends,” Mark explained, with a fake matter of fact tone while picking up the wipe that had ended up on the floor. Jack snorted.

 

“You want to head downstairs? We could watch a movie?" Mark asked, tossing out the rest of the wipes and wrappers.

 

"Watching a movie sounds good. What film were you planning on watching anyway?”  

 

"Uhhh... I didn't have anything in mind. I was thinking of just seeing what's new on Netflix" Mark shrugged then gestured for Jack to hand him the first aid kit. "Unless you want to choose, which is fine.”

 

Jack shook his head while putting away the bandages."Nah, I'm down for anything really."

 

"Mmm.. Oh yeah?” Mark smirked, and from the sound of his voice, Jack had a feeling he was going to regret his choice of words. 

 

“Just for that I'm going to find the lamest movie I can and we are both going to have to sit through it." The American proclaimed. 

 

Jack looked at Mark with a raised eyebrow, closing the kit. "So is that supposed to be a bad thing for me or the both of us?"

 

“I want to challenge just how down you are for anything." 

 

Jack shrugged a little as a smirk slowly appeared on his features. Challenging the other man a little, he said, "I bet you leave before I do."

 

"I will take that bet! I'll have you know that I have a very high tolerance for things that are lame." Mark said jokingly proud, before giving Jack a teasing smirk. "It's how I deal with you all day."

 

Jack laughed for a moment then countered Marks claim with, "I suppose you have a point there, but you have to remember that I put up with you as well so… That must count for something."

 

"Oh, that's hurts!" Mark laughed more, dramatically holding his chest as if he were wounded. His knees bending slightly to make it appear like he was about to fall.Stepping closer,  Jack decided to play along. He clutches Mark and said in an over-dramatic tone.

 

"No Markimoo! No! I'm sorry!!!" 

 

The American grinned, trying not to laugh. He pretended to cough and grabbed a little at the front of Jack's shirt. "It's too late, Jack… The damage has been done." 

 

The vampire had to hold back his laughter as he clutched Mark close to him as he nearly shouted,"No please! I didn't mean it. Don't die on me, Mark!"

 

"My pride will never recover from that burn, Jack..~ Tell Chica I love her..." Mark said dramatically, still grasping at the man's shirt, before pretending to go limp in Jack’s arms. 

 

The vampire pulls Mark close as he holds him there and pretends to cry "No this can't be. Now Septiplier will never be canon." 

 

Mark closed his eyes, continuing to be dead, but the last line made him snort. "Mmmmmmm..” the American hummed as he calmed his snickers, “I don't know, Jack. Considering how close you're holding me right now, I think the fans may argue otherwise." Mark peeked out at Jack with half-lid eyes, smiling cheekily.

 

Jack pulled back a little from Mark while still having his arms around the American. "Are you seriously gonna start a shipping war with me?" 

 

Mark snickered "Depends. Are you going to start a shipping war with a dying man?"

 

The vampire chuckled, looking amused. "With a dying man? Nah I ain't that cruel. But if ya do die, I win our little bet about the film by default."

 

Mark gasped dramatically.  He quickly stood up, no longer leaning on Jack. "My pride may be wounded but I refuse to lose!"

 

Jack rolled his eyes, letting Mark go with a soft laugh "We’ll see."

 

"Shh shooosh. " Mark scolded, quickly moving away from the vampire. He picked up the first aid kit off the bed and headed out of the room; Jack following behind. The two headed downstairs where Mark put away the kit and the men settled down on the couch.

  
  


"Are you actually going to bet anything or will the glory of being right be good enough for you?" Mark asked, not looking at the Irishman as he scrolled through Netflix.

 

"I think the fact that I was right will be enough for me. Unless you want to make a bet.”

 

"Hmm…” Mark hummed and the Irishman suddenly had that feeling again of regretting his choice of word. “Well, I don't remember you ever agreeing to my offer so how about.." The American trailed off, smirking a little. "If I win, you let me help you when you need it, deal?"


	7. The Bet and The Scam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark is a cheater, and if you blink, you'll miss it.

"Hmm…” Mark hummed and the Irishman suddenly had that feeling again of regretting his choice of word. “Well, I don't remember you ever agreeing to my offer so how about.." The American trailed off, smirking a little. "If I win, you let me help you when you need it, deal?"

-

  
The tiny, sly smirk and the offered deal from Mark had the vampire’s brain stalling. Jack couldn't believe what Mark was saying or the fact that he was actually contemplating accepting it. However, the Irishman was confident in himself and what he could handle.

 

"Fine, Fischbach. If that's really the deal you want to make. If you win, I'll let you and I won't argue. And if I win, we drop the subjects of vampires. Deal?” Jack echoed the American question with a returned smirk. However, when Mark looked towards the vampire, he was practically beaming with excitement from the Irishman agreed.   
  


"Let's do this then, Jackaboy!" Turning his attention back to the screen, the American went back to scrolling. After a little more searching, Mark presumably found the right movie, playing it quickly before Jack could get a good look at movie description then pressing pause. Jack was about to question what the American was doing, but Mark spoke up. "Before we begin, we should probably have a snack with this. You want popcorn?"

 

"Sure" Jack answered with a soft smile, deciding to drop his question.

 

"Alright." Mark smiled then got up from the couch and offered a hand to help his friend up. Jack took the offered hand, and the two and headed for the kitchen. The American made quick work of getting out the popcorn from the cabinet and putting it in the microwave.

 

"Drinks?"

 

"I'll drink pretty much anything so whatever you're having."

 

"Stop saying you're okay with anything! I feel challenged every time." Mark called while laughing, getting out two cans of Sprite from the fridge. "This work?"

 

Jack nodded with a chuckle as he replied, "Yeah that works."

 

Mark closed the fridge and handed the can to Jack. He grabbed a big bowl and placed it by the microwave. The vampire pulled up a chair, waiting for the popcorn.  While waiting, the Irishman grew a little more uneasy about the whole situation. His mind worrying about losing the bet and what that would mean for Mark.

"So, you're really going through with this."

 

"You mean the bet? Well, I want to win, don't I? Unless you're going to just forfeit now." The American teased, leaning back on the counter.

 

Jack folded his arms and shook his head with a slight smirk "No way! I am not forfeiting. I intend to win-” The microwave beeped, interrupting Jack while he was speaking and notifying the two that the popcorn was ready. “...this bet."

Both Mark and Jack laughed, while Mark pulled out the bag.

 

"Alright, you asked for it, Jack." Mark returned Jack's earlier smirk with his own bigger one.

 

Opening the bag and dumping the popcorn into the bowl, the American asked, "Do you want anything on it?"

 

Jack shook his head as he said, "Nah, it's fine like that."

 

"Heh, alright then." Grabbing the bowl and his can, Mark lead Jack to the living room. The Irishman followed Mark through into the living room before sitting down next to him on the couch.The American pulled the coffee table closer, putting the bowl down and grab the remote. "Now to begins the lamest movie ever!"

 

The vampire quickly grabbed the bowl, putting it on his lap, along with a teasing grin, "Are ya ready?"

 

"Of course I am," Mark proclaimed, playing the movie. He then tossed the remote to the side and grabbed some popcorn, settling back on the couch.mJack opened his can of Sprite, taking a sip before settling on to the couch as well.

 

"Let the games begin Markimoo." Jack teased a little while opening credits started.

 

"You're going down, Jackaboy!"

 

The Irishman laughed as he replied, "Yeah right! I can handle anything."

  
"We'll see about that." Mark shifted a little, sounding confident.

 

Soon, the movie was going and Jack ended up more invested than he thought he would be. By the middle of it, he was sitting up completely on the couch, watching the moving intensely. The empty bowl had moved back to the table. For what Mark had promised to be "the lamest film", the flick was ended up being fairly gripping. Even at some points, Jack found himself jumping when something popped up on screen.

Everything had been quiet in the film and in the room until suddenly, there was a loud jumpscare. As if the thing on screen could actually jump out and hurt the vampire, Jack practically dived across the couch as he instinctively clung to Mark. Jack's reaction to the movie startled the American more than the actual jump-scare, causing a muffled shout in surprise. The vampire had expected Mark to yell at him or tell him to buzz off. Instead, Mark wrapped his arm around the Irishman, steading both of them. It was probably by reflexes his friend was holding him, but Jack felt safe. He couldn't help it nuzzling himself a little further into the warmth of Mark. Jack internally blamed the action on instinct as well. Mark was warm, smelled nice, and when the vampire buried his head against Mark's neck, he could hear the man's heartbeat more clearly.

It was calming.

 

 

"Uhh… Jack?"

 

Jack pulled himself away from Mark enough to looked up at him, noticing the other man’s face was turning red. Quickly, the vampire pulled away completely, stopped only for a moment when he had to get free of Mark’s arms.

  
"S-Sorry..." the vampire apologized softly, biting his bottom lip from embarrassment.

 

Mark’s face was still bright red, but he smiled genuinely, gently putting a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Heh... It's alright."

 

Jack smiled softly, but it was weak and uncertain. A-Are you sure?"

 

"Yeah, it's not a big deal. You were scared. That’s all," Mark continued to smile, settling down on the couch again. The vampire settled himself on the couch next to Mark relaxing a little. His focus no longer on the movie, which the American seemed to take notice of. "Hmmmmm... though does that count as leaving? You weren't technically looking at the screen after all."

 

Mark was smirking while he asked. Jack was about to object when he stopped, thinking about it. "I-I guess...I mean we did say whoever was first to stop watching..."

 

"Yes!! Winner!" Mark grinned widely, throwing his fists in the air. 

 

Jack folded his arms, huffing half-heartedly. "Yeah, yeah. No one likes a show-off."

  
His tone was slightly bitter. But it wasn’t Mark victory that made him bitter… Well, it was. But it was the fact that now Jack had to accept the bet! His mind was scolding him for agreeing to something so stupid. Mark didn’t NEED to give him blood.

 

"How is this showing off?" Mark asked, lowering his arms and looking at the other, confused but still smiling. Was Jack really that much of a sore loser or was he just teasing?

 

"Your gloating that ya won!" The vampire argued, crossing arms tighter and turning away a bit.

 

”'I'd hardly call one victory shout gloating." The American was beaming. Sitting up, He leaned next to the other man and nudge him with his elbow. "Come on! No one likes a sore loser either."

 

Jack let out another slight huff, "...You put a jumpscare film on purpose, didn't you?"

 

Mark shook his head, wearing a sheepish smile as he said, "I have no idea what you are talking about. I've never seen this movie before.”

 

Jack raised an eyebrow once catching the grin on the American's face. "Really?"

 

"Would it still count if I have?" The American asked, not confirming or denying Jack’s accusation.

 

Jack sighed, defeated. "...I guess as I did say that I was up for anything. I technically let you choose regardless of if you had seen the film before or not."

 

"Yes!! Loophole!" Mark cheered, throwing his fist up into the air again. To which, Jack rolled his eyes, chuckling a little.

 

"You're very happy about this, aren't you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just barely keeping to the schedule as promised! hopefully, I will also update "possess your heart" soon. Believe in me~ :D


	8. A Deal's a deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm too tired to write a summary. Hopefully, the chapter and title can speak for itself.

_"Yes!! Loophole!" Mark cheered, throwing his fist up into the air again. To which, Jack rolled his eyes, chuckling a little._

_"You're very happy about this, aren't you?"_

\--------

Jack commented with an almost deadpanned tone. Mark didn’t seem to notice or mind the tone, instead of laughing a little.

 

"I am! I think I'm allowed to be happy to be right for once.” The American retorted,  “It's not like it happens that often."

 

"Touche." The Irishman nodded, to which Mark laughed some more. The American leaning on the Irishman, nudging him gently. "Soo.. You'll let me know when you need help then?"

 

Letting out a sigh, Jack nodded again, trying not to sound reluctant or sarcastic."That is what he agreed."

 

"Just making sure." With a smug grin, Mark settled back into the couch. The vampire couldn’t help a half smile from how proud his friend seemed to be. Falling silent, Jack slipped into thought. He didn’t like the idea of using Mark as a food source though Mark probably didn’t think of the deal that way. Jack knew that Mark was just being his usual friendly self. But that thought didn’t help him to feel any better either

 

"I think you're the only person I know who will willingly allow a vampire to bite them. I'm pretty sure anyone else would call you crazy."

 

The American’s smug look faltered a bit as he shifted his weight. Absently, his hand rubbed at the back of his neck, looking a little embarrassed. "I guess that's true. But at least it wouldn't be the worse thing I've been called."

 

Tilting his head, Jack sat up a little and moved to face Mark. "Really?" He asked, his tone holding concern for his friend.

 

"Yeah, really?" Mark tilted his head as well, confused but playfully nudge Jack. "You know, by youtube commenters and other internet trolls associated with that. You've seen the creative and a lot of times horrible things people come up with. But I get past them!"

 

Mark clarified, grinning back at Jack, leaning on him more. "Quit it with those sad leprechaun eyes~!".

 

"Leprechaun eyes?" Jack repeated. There was a slight pause, a soft smirk forming on his features. Falling silent again, Jack left Mark to wonder what the vampire was thinking, watching him with curiosity. Speaking again, the vampire put on a very stereotypical Irish accent "Ah sure Jayzus yer anto meh!"

 

At first, the American was surprised by the shift then had a difficult time containing his laughter. "Oh jeez! Please, Jack! I don't speak gibberish!" He said between snickers, finding it hard to settle himself enough to speak.

 

Jack laughed, "I made sure to use a thick Irish accent; although, I assumed that ye'd have a little trouble with translation. I said: Oh sure Jesus, you're onto me."

  


"Onto you, huh?" Mark snorted before trying to pull a straight face. "Jack… I know what you are..." He tried to say dramatically, looking away from the other man so the Irishman wouldn't catch him smiling.

 

Still laughing a little, Jack replied,  "You're the only one who does, besides my family, of course."

 

Mark peeked at Jack over his shoulder, continuing with the dramatic tone. "This whole time... No one ever knew that you and your family were secretly... leprechauns!"

 

The last statement clearly being over exaggeration. Jack tried to hold his laughter, saying with a smirk, "The whole time. And we managed to keep out pot o' gold safe as well!"

 

"Hmmm..” The American hummed, turning to face Jack. “Isn't there some lore that if you find a leprechaun, they have to share their gold~?" Mark asked with interest, eyebrow raised.

 

Jack was unable to tell if Mark was asking an actual question or if this was part of their current joke. Choosing to keep the joke going unless Mark showed disinterest, Jack looked to Mark with narrowed eyes.  "Maybe...What 'cha gonna do 'bout it Markimoo."

 

Mark tilted his head, a little confused by the sudden change, but played along anyway. "What am I going to do? I think this more depends on what you're going to do, Jackaboy."

 

The vampire looked at Mark with an innocent smile as he batted his eye-lids, chuckling a little "Me do something? But Markimoo, I'm harmless..."

 

Another snort came from Mark, along with an amused smile. "Hmmm... Even as a leprechaun, I highly doubt that you're harmless."

 

Jack faked a look of hurt, placing his hand above his heart and speaking in an overly dramatic voice."Mark, how COULD you say such a thing." He paused again and slowly looked away from Mark "I'd never hurt a fly..." Jack stated, solemnly, somehow managing not to laugh too much; however, his lips did curl up a little, a hint of a smile.

 

The American snickered, continuing to watch his friend with amusement. "Oh yeah, you don't say~? Could have fooled me, Jackaboy."

 

Still facing away from Mark, the Irishman shrugged with a grin. “I am… Mostly harmless.”

 

"More of, harmless when you want to be." The American corrected teasingly, his tone had a hint of aggression. However, Jack couldn’t see Mark’s face, so the vampire reasoned that he probably was thinking too much into it. Instead, he shrugged again. "Well, yeah I suppose that's one way to put it too." Shifting, Jack turned around to look at Mark. With a teasing tone, the vampire asked, "Why? Are you worried, Mark?"

 

Mark pretended to be insulted by that remark, making a dramatic huff as he retorted "Why would you think I'm worried? Why would I, the brave Markimoo, be worried about a vam-... Leprechaun?"

 

Jack chuckle a little as he said with a fake cheeky grin, "Well, Leprechaun's are creatures of mischief. I could do anything."

 

"Keyword is could. You wouldn't do anything to me, right~?" Mark seemed to imitate Jack's innocent look from earlier, but was having a hard time keeping from laughing.

 

The vampire couldn’t help a more genuine grin from this and nodded as he replied. "Yeah, doing something would take too much work."

 

"Oh, what a relief. You're a lazy leprechaun!" Mark said with mock relief, wiping his brow for added effect and laying back.

 

The vampire chuckled a little, "Yeah, but I had assumed that you already knew I was lazy."

 

"True! How could I have forgotten this important fact? I really don't have anything to worry about."

 

Jack nodded in agreement before quickly slipping back into trying to be threatening."But, if I was...In the mood...Who knows what I'm capable of." He said with a sly look.

 

The vampire watched as Mark raised an eyebrow to the claim, struggling to stop himself from giggling. Clearly, both Mark and Jack were enjoying the bit of teasing going on. "I'm sure you would probably pester me into submission. " Mark commented with a wave of his hand.

 

"Like I said. Who knows what I would be capable of." Jack said, trying to sound mischievous and menacing. It must have been working since Jack could swear that Mark’s heartbeat sped up a bit with those last two words.

 

"Are you just trying to psych me out now? " Mark nudged the other playfully.

 

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. Who knows?"

 

Teasing back a little, Mark grinned proudly "Well, it's not going to work if you are."

 

The Irishman looked at Mark with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, shuffling an inch closer to his friend. "Oh really?"

 

"Yes. Really!" Mark proclaimed, refusing to back down from the challenge.

 

"Wanna prove it?" The vampire challenged more, moving closer.

 

"Eh, I know you wouldn't hurt this face." The American smirked, pressing a finger to his cheek to emphasize his point.

 

 The vampire raised an eyebrow. His tone of voice slightly lower as he practically purred, "Confident, aren't we?"

 

The American grinned, but it didn’t seem as proud this time as he replied: "Why yes, I am."

 

Jack smirked, allowing his fangs to show and his eyes to change to red, a low chuckle to rumble from his throat "Still confident Markimoo?"

There was definitely some hesitation this time from the American once seeing Jack's fangs. He nearly flinching at the sight of them, which Jack felt a hint of guilt for. Despite flinching, Mark refused to back down, saying with pride. "Mmm... Yeah, I'm still sure."

 

Jack wasn’t sure if he felt Mark’s confidence was sweet or stupid, but he chuckled. The vampire then gently grabbed Mark by his upper arms, pulling him close. He didn't hold him too tightly, so if Mark wanted he could easily pull away. "What about now?"  A small squeak escaped the American, wincing slightly as he was pulled to the vampire. The closeness seemed to be making him a flustered.

 

"... I'm a little uncomfortable with your breath if that counts..~" Mark grinned cheekily, trying to appear either not flustered or not intimated. He managed to get one hand in between the two of them and wave it in front of his nose for added effect.

 

Jack laughed a little releasing Mark. "Ha, I suppose that's a fair point. I can only imagine what it smells like."

 

Taking the opportunity once released, Mark pulled away, moving to the other end of the couch, " I'll save you from a description of it."

 

Jack smirked, eyes returned to their natural blue color and fangs turning to regular canines. "Mark, I drink blood to survive. My breath is gonna reflect that, so I know it probably seems bad."

 

Relief was clear on Mark's features when Jack's eyes return to normal. "Probably seems bad? It's bad, Jackaboy.”

 

Seeing that Mark seemed to want to continue the back and forth teasing, Jack dropped his smile. The sudden lack of smile causing Mark to look a little confused and nervous. "You're really fucking confident for someone who is stood this close to me. You seem to think you're pretty clever, Markimoo." The vampire said with a hint of a threatening tone, then paused for dramatic effect. His smirk appeared back on his face as he said, "And try to hide it all you want, I know you were a little tense."

 

Mark had been watching the Irishman carefully the whole time he had been speaking, but from the expression on his face, the tiniest hint of an eager grin, Jack assumed that Mark was still in on the joke... "I don't know if its confidences. It probably more sass than anything. Heh-"

 

"Don't look so scared!” Jack proclaimed, breaking his attempts to be imitating to laugh. He sat closer to Mark as he spoke and laid his arm behind Mark, across his shoulders. “You're one of my best friends Mark. There's nothing you have to fear from me."

 

For a moment, The Irishman could feel Mark shoulders going completely ridged with the sudden close contact, but they slowly dropped. The American smiled shyly, embarrassed. "I know, I know! I trust you, you goof " He attempted to argue. His smile turning to a genuine one...

  


With all the tension being gone from Mark's body, his smile only grew brighter and Jack was completely captured by it.  Smiling softly, the Irishman could feel that his cheeks were warm, but he wasn’t sure as to why and couldn’t be bothered to think much of it. So lost in thought, he almost didn’t notice the brief pressure of something sharp against his tongue. His fangs were out. The vampire could have sworn he had retracted them earlier. If Jack was paying a little more attention, he would have realized his hunger starting to rise again. Tasting Mark’s blood earlier had managed to satisfy him for a short time, but he still hadn’t fed. Or at least, he hadn’t fed properly.

 

Mark opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted, eyes traveling over to the screen which proclaimed that another movie was about to start. "Crap…!" Mark cursed to himself, turning his attention away from his friend to find the remote.

 

The sudden change snapped Jack back into reality. "Oh... shite." Getting up from the couch, he began to help Mark search for the TV remote, checking down the sides of the couch. 10 seconds were counting down as Jack dug through the couch and Mark scanned the floor.

 

"Got it!" Mark exclaimed, scooping up the remote from underneath the coffee table. The man quickly went to the menu screen before the next movie could play. "Phew. I really doubt you want to see the sequel. It's pretty bad. Ha-"

 

Jack laughed a little as he teased. "Well, if you think it's bad  it must be terrible."

 

"And what is that suppose to mean?" Mark jokingly huffed, offering the remote to Jack. Jack held his hands up in front of him

 

"It can mean whatever ya want it to Marki. I'm not saying anything."

 

"Of course you're not," Mark said sarcastically, handing the remote to Jack then settling back into the couch. He grabbed the bowl of popcorn before completely getting comfortable.

 

Taking the remote, the vampire found his gaze landing back on Mark. His mind started to take notes of Mark’s features, like his tanned skin that seemed to compliment those bright hazel eyes of his or his fiery red hair that framed his face almost perfectly. He also noted the vein on Mark’s muscular neck that seemed to pulse with the man’s heartbeat.

 

Mark must have noticed how Jack was staring at him because he began to shift a little, uncomfortable. “Jack? You okay man?”

 

Jack pondered the question for a moment. Was he okay? He wanted to say that he was and put his friend at ease; however, his mind was in a haze and that didn’t seem okay.

 

Uncertain on how to answer, the vampire continued to stare at Mark. Acting on instinct or impulse, he started edging his way closer. The space between the two slowly becoming smaller and smaller, The American was tensing more and more the closer Jack got.

 

Usually, Jack would have stopped or backed away once seeing Mark so visibly nervous, but Jack didn’t feel like doing those things. He wanted to be close.

He wanted to be closer.

 

Although he was already at the edge of the couch and Jack was closing in on whatever space remained, Mark tried to back away. “Jack, w-what?” It seemed that the American was at a lost for words. His eyes would dart to the TV or to the wall then return back to Jack’s gaze. Mark’s attention had been captured just like Jack’s was a few minutes ago. Before they knew it, Mark was sat on the edge of the couch with Jack in front of him. Their gazes locked against each other, blue eyes meeting brown.

 

“Mark.” The vampire spoke slowly, fangs peeking out from behind his lips as he spoke. Jack’s gaze moved down briefly, spotting the veins on his neck, before moving back to Mark’s eyes “You trust me right?”

 

When words refused to form for the American,  he instead nodded his head. Jack watched as Mark took his bottom lip between his teeth, chewing on it lightly. The vampire licked his lips; his voice was almost a whisper as he spoke, “Then if you trust me… Close your eyes.”

 

The vampire’s hunger had appeared without warning. Jack didn’t even have time to feel guilty or to think more about his actions. He just wanted Mark, and he wanted to be certain that Mark trusted him.

 

There was hesitation from Mark, unsure of what the vampire was doing. However, he showed his trust in Jack and closed his eyes with a small smile. Upon the confirmation that Mark trusted him, the vampire’s predatory instinct was more than happy to allow himself to feed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being patient and reading my fic ^^


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